MSBA Student Scores a Touchdown Future
Jesse Anderson is a well-known success story among students and faculty at William & Mary, especially those at the Raymond A. Mason School of Business. As a current student in the Master of Science in Business Analytics (MSBA) program, and the starting long snapper of the football team, Anderson spends his days alternating between attending classes in Miller Hall and drilling with his teammates at Zable Stadium. Both require drive, determination, and a will to succeed.
Anderson joined the football team his freshman year as an equipment manager. Before long, coaches noticed his talent for long-snapping and encouraged him to try out for the team. Anderson soon became W&M’s No. 1 long snapper, with a streak that stood at 36 consecutive starts in the Fall 2017 season.
Upon graduating from Mason as a finance major, Anderson was accepted into the Master of Science in Business Analytics program. The MSBA program is a full-time, accelerated program that can be completed in two semesters. Business analytics (BA) is a relatively new field that refers to the skills, technologies, and practices for continuous iterative exploration and investigation of past business performance to gain insight and drive business planning. The program teaches four key areas of business analytics: business acumen, applied mathematics, computing technologies, and communicating with impact.
Anderson admits that the business school was initially hard, having to manage his time between football and becoming a future data scientist. However, he came to realize there were always people willing to help, whether it was his classmates or professors. “The discipline of football has given me advantages at the business school, especially in the realm of time management,” Anderson said. “I’ve learned that there’s a delicate balance between enjoying free time and working when it’s time to work.”
As for his post-graduation plans, Anderson recently signed an offer with Deloitte, a multi-national professional services firm, and plans to work in their Washington D.C. office following graduation from the MSBA program.
He cites the professors at the Business School as the most enjoyable aspect of his academic career and most influential for his professional development. “Every single professor I’ve had here at the Mason School has been absolutely brilliant and at the forefront of their careers,” Anderson said. “They’ve created an engaging learning environment that makes coming to class every day worth it.”
We are excited to see what the future holds for Anderson and can only hope he is grooming the next great long-snapper.
